Kipo’s Kitchen 吉寳 – A-Decade-Old Eatery With Yummy Comfort Food

No-frills, affordable and delectable food — what I enjoy the most. Found in a quiet but lively building in Katong is Kipo’s Kitchen. Close your eyes, point to any item on the menu and make that your order. No matter what it is, you’ll leave with a satisfied tummy. This is one of my favourite places for comfort food such as Dumplings Soup ($4) and Chicken Cutlet Noodles ($5). However, we didn’t get these two as we went with some crowd favourites instead.

From the popular Wanton Noodles ($3.80) and Fried Fish Soup ($4.50) to Curry Chicken Rice ($5) and sides such as Shrimp Paste Chicken Midwings ($4), there is something for everyone.

First up, we had the dried Wanton Noodles. It is one of their most raved about dishes. The best way to eat it is with a mix of black sauce and chilli sauce. The noodles were firm and springy and were topped with large pieces of char siew! The wanton noodles, given its portion, is quite affordable.

Chicken Curry Rice was the other main dish that we had. Although the portion was slightly smaller than that of the wanton noodles, the serving of potatoes and chicken was still generous. You can ask for a refill of the gravy if you like. The curry was not too spicy, and we could tell that it was simmered over a long period with lots of spices and coconut milk to achieve such a thick consistency. The rich gravy is packed with flavour, and is best paired with a simple bowl of white rice. I liked that the chicken was cooked well. It was tender, and the meat came off the bones easily.

Here comes the signature dish, Fried Fish Soup. This is the one dish that has kept me coming back since I first tasted it nine years ago. I’ve always opted for milk to be added into the soup as it makes the soup thicker and more flavoursome.

The fried fish here is second to none — crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And when it comes to fried fish fillets, I am always worried about it having a fishy smell. However, in the past nine years of patronising Kipo, never once did my worries happen. This is my 10/10 recommendation so if you don’t know what to order, go for this. You can add on noodles such as mee kia or udon to make it a more filling meal.

One of the popular side dishes at Kipo is the Shrimp Paste Midwing ($4/4 pieces). The mid wings were definitely marinated well as the distinctive fragrance of har cheong gai (shrimp paste) can be detected not just in the crispy skin, but in the meat as well.

Before we called it a day, we decided to order the Seafood Tomato Soup ($5) with macaroni. It is also another popular dish among regulars, as it is very comforting and refreshing. As someone who does not really appreciate the taste of tomato, I was surprised to envision myself having this on a rainy day. The soup was sweet, tangy and especially hearty.

Kipo sells beverages as well. Like a coffee shop, they have the usual Kopi, Teh and more. Just a note if you’re ordering the drinks, it’s super gao and incredibly sweet. Order your drinks siew siew dai (very less sugar) if you don’t have a sweet tooth! Alternatively, you can go for their original concoctions such as the Sour Plum with Lime ($1.70).

Even though it isn’t super famous, Kipo draws a constant crowd and has been around for more than a decade. Be prepared to wait up to 40 minutes for the food during lunchtime on a regular weekday. I promise that it is worth the wait!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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